An interesting report and fuel for the debate on the protective value of the resting EKG.
Q-Wave Electrocardiography – What MI?
underwriting
Occupational Risk – More on Journalists
Journalist Roxana Saberi will likely be spending the next 8 years in an Iranian prison. How often we forget, or take for granted, some of the amazing rights we have in the US.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
— The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
I have been sensitive to the plight of journalists worldwide working in hostile environments since my offshore insurance days. If you want to learn more I’ve added a new link category titled Occupational Risk that includes a link to a website with 17 years worth of data on dead journalists.
We hard core underwriters love this kind of stuff.
Listen and Learn – Motorcycle Fatalities Up in US Military
U.S. Military Combats Rising Motorcycle Fatalities : NPR
In 2008, more service members died in motorcycle crashes than ever before — 126 from all four services. The Army saw a 24 percent increase in fatalities, and both the Marines and the Navy report significant increases as well. Top safety chiefs across the military have identified motorcycles as the No. 1 safety concern off the battlefield.
How to Predict the Probability of ESRD
Among the predictive models, the best clinical model based on age, gender, physical activity, diabetes, systolic blood pressure, antihypertensive medication, and HDL cholesterol correctly classified 86.4% of patients in the general population who did and did not progress to end-stage renal disease.
The albumin-to-creatinine ratio performed better, correctly identifying 89.3%. Estimated GFR alone was better yet (93.3%).
Combining the two marginally improved prediction overall (93.6%), but substantially improved the more important true-positive rate across all potential screening populations.
ACTIVE-A = 28% Reduction in Stroke
Medical Updates – Plavix + Aspirin = New Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation | Health News
Stroke reduction of 28% is impressive.
Binge Drinking – the MMWR Version
Sociodemographic Differences in Binge Drinking Among Adults — 14 States, 2004
I like the Medpage article title better but the details in the original MMWR summary are a lot better. For example:
However, after adjusting for sex and age, the highest average number of binge drinking episodes during the preceding 30 days was reported by binge drinkers whose household income was <$25,000. (4.9), and the highest average number of drinks per binge episode was reported by non-Hispanic blacks (8.4) and Hispanics (8.1).
Know your sources, read widely, and don’t make broad assumptions from titles.
Binge Drinking
Catchy title, no? I’ll find the original MMWR article and post a link to that source as well.
Remote Underwriting With Turkeys – Avoid SSS (Sadder and Sicker Syndrome)
Career Women at Midlife: Sadder and Sicker – BusinessWeek
Reading this article should be a stark reminder to managers in all industries of the growing need to provide flexible work arrangements. Remote work, telecommuting, flex hours, work from home, job sharing, reduced work schedules, whatever. Sad and sick employees cannot be a good thing.
Hence another strong motivator to get your underwriters out of the office.
If you’re reading this post and looking for a remote underwriting position do revisit this blog periodically. I offer up some good tips on job search websites. Additionally, UWS LLC may have a need for contract underwriters in the near future.
Remote, of course.
One Double Cheeseburger and a Side of Increased Mortality Risk
No, I don’t want fries. I would like some chili-cheese fries please.
Size Matters – J-Shaped Mortality Curve With BMI
While browsing the online Lancet website I came accross the following article. A J-shaped mortality curve should come as no surprise.
The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 18 March 2009
doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60318-4Cite or Link Using DOI
Editors’ note: Around the world, increasing body-mass index (BMI) is a major public concern. Rightly so, according to this international collaborative analysis of almost 1 million people, followed from middle age in 57 prospective studies. A J-shaped mortality curve is observed, with optimal survival at a BMI of 22•5–25 kg/m2. Above this range, mortality from several causes—especially vascular diseases—was increased. Moderate obesity (BMI 30–35) was associated with 3 years’ loss of life. People with extreme obesity (BMI 40–50) lost 10 years of life, equivalent to the years lost by lifetime smoking.
lifeunderwriter.net 
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